A woman facing prosecution for involvement in a rotating savings scheme in Buri Ram is suspected to be behind the apparent suicide of her police officer husband, investigators say.
Police discovered the officer in the driver’s seat of his Ford Ranger with a bullet wound to the right side of his head and a 9-millimetre pistol nearby, after it crashed into a barrier in front of a bank in Chokchai district of Nakhon Ratchasima early on Saturday.
Despite efforts to provide medical care, the officer identified only as Nattaphon, 42, succumbed to his injuries after arriving at Chokchai Hospital.
An investigation by the officer’s colleagues revealed that his wife, identified only as Wilasinee, is currently facing charges of violating the Rotating Savings and Credit Act in Buri Ram.
Authorities believe the officer might have shot himself during a tense phone conversation with his wife as he drove, losing control of his pickup and sustaining fatal injuries.
Police discovered that Wilasinee had previously been arrested on similar charges but reportedly evaded prosecution with her husband’s assistance. However, she reportedly resumed her illegal activities after spending time abroad.
About 200 people have filed complaints against the woman, claiming that she told them her police officer husband could influence them to join her savings scheme.
Wilasinee is facing multiple charges of fraud and illegal investment, with damages totalling over 100 million baht.